Concrete-culvert form



E. J. WHALEN.

CONCRETE CULVERT FORM.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.2. 1915.

' Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEETI INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS E. J. WHALEN. coucnm CULVERT roam.- APPLICATION FILED AUG.2| 915- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR vflmrd. ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2,1920.-

WITNESSES! INVENTOR ATTORNEYS E. J. WHALEN.

CONCRETE QULVERT FORM. APPLICATION FILED AUG'.2. l9l5.

Patented Mar. '2, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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WITNESSES EDWARD J. WHALEN, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

CONCRETE-OULVERT FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application fi1ed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43,199.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. WHALEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Concrete-Culvert Form, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object a concrete culvert form in which the parts thereof can be interchanged and repositioned to form culverts of various sizes and shapes; and the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of one embodiment of one of the units of this concrete form, one of the head walls being attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an end view of two units arranged side by side with one of the exten sion plates bridging the space between the arched tops of the units.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the units being spaced apart and the extension plate being repositioned to bridge a wider space between the units.

Figs. 4 and 5 are end views of the units showing them as laid on their sides and the spaces between them as bridged by the extension plates, and the sides of the form as closed by additional extension plates, the units being illustrated as spaced apart in Fig. 5 and the plates between them as reversed from their position shown in Fig. 4, that is, the plates in Figs. 4 and 5 are in the same position respectively as in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the bases of the units laid over on their sides and brought together, the arched tops being removed and the sides of the form being closed in the same manner as in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, the bases of the units being shown as slightly telescoped.

Fig. 8 is an end view similar to Fig. 1 with the head wall and arched top omitted, the top being formed by one of the extension plates resting on supports mounted upon the braces connecting the base plates.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly broken away, of two units arranged end to end, and separated, a head wall and a parapet box being shown as connected to one unit.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of parts seen in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail View of one of the braces between the base walls, and coacting parts.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of one of the expanding members for the arched top, the contiguous portion of the arched top being also shown.

This concrete culvert form comprises units consisting of base walls, braces for holding the base walls separated or in assembled relation, the braces extending between and being detachably secured to said walls, a top which is usually arched, and extension plates arranged to bridge the space between the arched tops of two; units when arranged side by side or when laid over on their sides, or to constitute the sides of a form composed of the assembled base plates laid over on their sides.

1 designates the base plates which usually stand vertically, but are sometimes laid horizontally, and which in either position constitute the base or body of the form whereon all other parts depend or are supported. The base plates usually have inturned flanges 2 which are bent in the form of upwardly facing channels, the flanges forming feet for the base plates 1.

8 designate brace members for holding the base plates 1 in position either upright or horizontal, said members being shown 1 n Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9 as arranged in two hor1- zontal rows, or series one above the other. Each of said members consists of a rod having one end. turned laterally to form a hinge pin 4 which extends or books into a suitable bearing 5 on the inner face of one of the base plates 1, and having at its other end a laterally extending bill 6 disposed at an angle to the pin 4 and moving into an eye '7 on the other of the base plates 1 when the rod is swung about its axis 4, said braces 3 being in some respects, similar to those described in my abandoned application Sr. No. 805,315 filed December 8, 1913.

8 designates the arched top which s preferably pressed from sheet metal and is slightly more than semi-cylindrical, side margins'thereof curving inwardly slightly at 9 and having inturned flanges or feet 10 which rest upon the upper series of brace members 3. The upper margins of the base walls are deflected inwardly slightly at 11 and engage the outer face of the arched top 8. Said arched top 8 is expanded to snugly fit between the upper margins ofthe base walls 1 in any suitable manner, and as here shown a plurality of expanding members 12, see Fig. 12, are pivoted to one of the inturned flanges or feet 10 and move about their pivotal axes and under catches 13 on the other of said flanges 10, the free ends of said members 12 pressing against the side margin of the arched top 8 adjacent said flange 10.

let are extension plates which, when arranged as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are used as tops for an enlarged form. These plates are of greater length than width so as to be used in connection with units when arranged difi'erent distances apart. In Fig. 2, two units similar to that shown in Fig. 1 areillustrated as arranged side by side and close together, with a plate 14 resting at its side edges on the apexes of the arched tops 8' and bridging the space between the tops. In Fig. 3, the units are illustrated as spaced. apart and the plate 14. as arranged with its end edges resting on said apexes.

Preferably, each plate 14- is formed with strips or braces 15 on its under side which run lengthwise thereof. These braces are set in from the side marginsof the plates 14c and terminate short of the end margins of said plates and are formed of angle iron. Flanges of' the angle ironbraces rest on the outer faces of the tops 8 when used in. connection with units, as shown in Fig- 2, and the ends of these flanges are beveled for resting on the outer faces of the tops when spaced apart as in Fig. 3. Said. plates lal may also be used to constitute top and bottom walls of a form made by laying the units over on their sides, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5; and arranging the plates 14 so that they are flush with the base plates 1 which are now the upper and lower sides of the oblong form, the plates 14 engaging the arched tops 8 the same as in Fig. 2, but nearer the side edges. thereof than the apexes. In Fig; 5, the units are shown as laid over on their sides, the same as in Fig. -:l-, but spaced-apart. a greater distance, and the plates 141 are illustrated as arranged as in Fig. 3. with the ends of their braces or strips 15 engaging the outer faces of the arched tops;

These plates 14 are of the same width as the unit at the base thereof. and hence can be used to form the side walls of the form,

as seen in Figs. 4:, 5, 6 and 7. In Figs. 6 and 7, the base plates are shown as assembled and laid over on their sides and brought together; forming an oblong culvert opening smaller than that seen in Figs. 4 and 5. In

7 the bases are shown slightiy telescoped.

In Fig. 8, a unit is illustrated as having a flat top instead of an arched top, this flat top being formed by one of the plates 14: which is supported on timbers 16 which in turn rest upon the upper series of braces 3. The widthwise and lengthwise dimensions of the plates 14 and each unit are the same in order that the plates 14 may be used in a maximum number of situations, and the width of the plates and of the units and the distances the units are spaced apart, and hence the length of the plates are determined usually by the standards adopted by the highway departments of States in which the form is to be used.

17 is a head wall, one of which is located at each end of the culvert form, to form the head walls of the culvert, the head wall 17 having openings 18, 19 therein for receiving ears 20, 21 provided on the arched tops 8 and the base plates 1, these openings being arranged to receive the ears 20, 21 of the units when the units are assembled in the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When the head walls are assembled with the ears 20, 21 passing through said openings therein, the head walls are held in position by keys passingthrough perforations in the ears.

22 are wing walls which are designed to be located at the side edges of the head walls 17 at any desired angle thereto, these wing walls being usually triangular in outline, as seen in Fig. 9. 23 is what is termed a para pet box adjustably secured to the head wall to be moved vertically thereon, the parapet box consisting of end walls 24: and a side wall 25 opposed to the upper portion of the head wall. The head wall 17 has marginal top and side flanges 26 and the end walls 24 of the box lap said side flanges and are secured at different heights thereon by suitable keys 27 passing through alined perforations in the end walls 24: and in the side flanges 26; The sidewall 25 is also formed with marginal top and side flanges 28 having perforations therein arranged to come into alinement with perforations 29 in the end walls 24: of the box and to receive suitable keys 30.

The walls 24 and 25 of the parapet box are struck up out of sheet metal and have flanges along all the margins thereof for 'endtoend as shown in Figs. 9..and10, the

units being arranged close together in use although illustrated as slightly separated in these views. For wide culverts the units are arranged side by side as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, and for culverts having rectangular openings without arched tops, the parts may be arranged as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

This form is particularly advantageous in that one series of units and extension plates can be used to produce a variety of culverts, and a township, county or contractor does not need a separate form for each style of culvert but may have several units and a number of extension plates and with these can form any style of standard culvert.

What I claim is 1. A concrete culvert form comprising upright base walls, braces extending from one wall to the other and a top having its sides resting on the braces, the top engaging the upper margins of the base walls above the braces, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A concrete culvert form comprising base plates, an arch supported by the base plates, and means connecting the base plates for holding the same in upright position iii-- eluding a member having hooks at its opposite ends the hooks extending in directions at an angle to each other, and the base plates having eyes on their opposing sides for receiving the hooks, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A concrete culvert form comprising upright base walls, braces extending from one wall to the other, and an. arched top having its sides resting on the braces, the top engaging the upper margins of the base walls, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A concrete culvert form comprising upright base walls, braces extending from one wall to the other, an arched top having its sides resting on the braces, the top engaging the upper margins of the base walls, and means for expanding the top and moving its side margins toward the inner faces of the upper margins of the base walls, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A concrete culvert form comprising two units arranged side by side and having arched tops, and an extension plate ext-ending from substantially the apex of one top to that of'the other, the plate having on the underside thereof strips resting on the tops, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. A concrete culvert form comprising units having arched tops, and an. extension plate of greater length than width arranged to rest upon the apexes of the tops when the units are close together and the plate is disposed with its side margins at the apexes of the tops and being also adapted to rest with its end margins upon the apexes of the tops when the units are spaced apart, the plate having lengthwisely extending strips on its under side adapted to rest throughout their length upon the tops between the apexes thereof when the side margins of the plate engage the tops, the ribs terminating short of the end edges of the plate and adapted to engage at their ends with the tops when the end edges of said plate rest upon the tops, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. A concrete culvert form comprising two units arranged side by side and having arched tops, an extension plate extending from substantially the apex of one top to that of the other, the plate having on the under side thereof braces resting on the outer faces of the tops between the apexes thereof, base walls supporting the arched tops, bracing means extending between the base walls, and means for expanding the tops against the inner faces of the base walls, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. A concrete culvert form comprising units having arched tops, an extension plate of greater length than width arranged to rest upon the apexes of the tops when the units are close together and the plate is disposed with its side margins at the apexes of the tops, and being also adapted to rest with its end margins upon the apexes of the tops when the units are spaced apart, the platehaving lengthwisely extending strips on its under side adapted to rest throughout their length upon the tops between the apexes thereof when the side margins of the plate engage the tops, and the strips terminating short of the end margins of the plate and their ends being adapted to engage with the tops when the end edges of said plate rest upon the tops, base walls supporting the arched tops, movable bracing means extendingbe'tween the base walls, and means for expanding the tops, at the bases of their arches, against the inner faces of the base walls, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A concrete culvert form comprising units, each including base Walls and arched walls, and substantially flat plates adapted to rest upon the arched walls of adjoining units, the, plates having means resting on the arched walls at the ends of said plates and between the ends thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. A concrete culvert form comprising units including base walls, and arch tops on the base walls, and substantially flat plates resting upon and bridging the space between the apexes of the tops, said plates be ing of a width substantially equal to the distance between the base walls and having means on their lower sides for engaging the arched tops between the edges of said plates,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. A concrete culvert form comprising units each including base walls and arched Walls, and plates adapted to rest upon the arched Walls of adjoining units, said plates being rectangular in. general form, and of greater length than Width and having strips on the under sides thereof paralleling 0p- 10 posite marginal edges of the plate and spaced apart from said edges and terminating short of the remaining marginal edges of the plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 30th day of July, 1915.

EDWARD J. W'HALEN. 

